The Onco Life Podcast

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

A new NHS England pilot will let surgeons identify a brain tumour's type during an operation, using a nanopore DNA test developed in Nottingham. This episode explains how the test works and how doctors hope to diagnose brain tumours faster.

You'll learn:
- How nanopore sequencing reads DNA from small tissue samples
- What methylation tags reveal about the type of tumour
- Why the two-hour figure is an early result and not a final diagnosis
- What the 2025 Neuro-Oncology study found across 50 operations
- How the test compares with the 33-day average for standard methylation testing
- What the Nottingham doctors and the NHS medical director have said
- Where the first five pilot hospital trusts are and how the pilot is funded

The test is not available to every patient yet, and early results still need wider evidence. If you have persistent headaches or vision changes, see a doctor promptly.

Blog Link: Brain Tumour Test Gives Results in Under Two Hours

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode explains why chemo brain happens during or after cancer treatment, and the everyday strategies that can genuinely help with the cognitive impairment it causes.

You'll learn:
- Why chemo brain happens, and the factors that can contribute beyond chemotherapy itself
- Common chemo brain symptoms, like forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and mental fog
- How chemo brain can differ from person to person, and how long it typically lasts
- Practical day-to-day strategies that help, like routine, sleep, and lists
- Why breaking tasks into smaller steps can make multitasking easier
- What symptoms warrant a prompt call to your care team
- Answers to common questions about recovery and how to support someone with chemo brain
- Why staying in touch with your care team after treatment matters

Naming the pattern often helps patients feel less alone with it, and small daily habits can make a real difference over time.

Blog Link: Chemo Brain: Why It Happens and How to Manage It

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode explains when a nagging cough is worth medical attention, and which cough patterns point toward lung cancer rather than a common cold or reflux.

You'll learn:
- What counts as a persistent cough versus a chronic cough, and when three weeks matters
- Cough patterns that raise more concern, including coughing up blood
- Other symptoms that often appear alongside, like breathlessness, chest pain, and weight loss
- Who faces higher risk, including smokers, former smokers, and people who have never smoked
- What a doctor typically does first, from a chest x-ray to a possible CT scan
- How lung cancer screening differs from investigating a symptom
- Answers to common questions about cough duration and lung cancer stage
- When to see a doctor versus when a cough usually clears on its own

Most coughs settle on their own well before the three-week mark, and this episode is meant to help you tell the difference, not to cause alarm.

Blog Link: Persistent Cough: When It Could Be a Sign of Lung Cancer

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode walks through what happens during a colonoscopy, from prep to recovery, using a flexible tube to examine the colon and rectum.

You'll learn:
- What happens at each step of a colonoscopy, from check-in to recovery
- How IV sedation works and why most patients remember little of the exam
- How to prepare with a liquid diet and prep solution in the days before
- What to expect the morning of the procedure
- What recovery feels like and how soon you can eat normally again
- What happens if the doctor finds and removes polyps during the exam
- How long it takes to get pathology results back
- Answers to common first-time colonoscopy questions

Knowing what happens at each stage in advance is often what makes the whole day feel far less stressful.

Blog Link: What to Expect During a Colonoscopy: A Step-by-Step Guide

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at multi cancer early detection, a blood test that scans for signals from dozens of cancers in a single draw. We explain why a US FDA advisory panel supported it in September 2026 and why oncologists remain divided.

You'll learn:
- How a multi cancer blood test looks for DNA fragments shed by cancer cells
- Why the FDA panel voted 7 to 2 on benefits versus risks, and 6 to 4 on effectiveness
- What large US and UK trials found, including a positive predictive value near 60 percent
- Why roughly four in ten positive results were false positive results
- Concerns about detecting slow-growing cancers, lead time bias and a price near 949 US dollars per test
- How the test compares with mammograms, colon exams and Pap tests
- Where genetic counseling and testing fit for people with a strong family history
- When full FDA clearance is expected and what it means for Malaysia

Established screening such as mammograms, colon exams and Pap tests remains the foundation for most people. Talk with your own doctor about the plan that suits your personal cancer risk.

Blog Link: Can One Blood Test Screen for 50+ Cancers? Experts Debate

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode explains what a DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ, diagnosis means when a pathology report reads "stage 0," and what typically happens next.

You'll learn:
- What "stage 0" and "in situ" actually mean for a DCIS diagnosis
- Why DCIS rarely causes symptoms and how it is usually found on a routine mammogram
- The three steps doctors use to confirm a diagnosis: mammogram, biopsy, and receptor testing
- How DCIS differs from LCIS, lobular carcinoma in situ
- Surgery and radiation options, including when a mastectomy may be recommended
- How hormone-blocking treatment lowers the risk of a future invasive cancer
- Why DCIS does not require chemotherapy
- What the five-year survival figures show about long-term outlook

DCIS marks the earliest point on the entire breast cancer scale, and understanding your own report is the first step to planning next steps with confidence.

Blog Link: DCIS: What a "Stage 0" Breast Cancer Diagnosis Means

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

Stomach cancer often causes no symptoms early on, which is why persistent stomach discomfort deserves attention rather than a wait-and-see approach. This episode covers the warning signs to watch for and the risk factors that raise the odds.

You'll learn:
- Why stomach cancer can grow for months before causing obvious trouble
- The warning signs to watch for, including persistent abdominal pain, feeling full after only a few bites, and unexplained weight loss
- Why nausea, vomiting, or trouble swallowing are also worth mentioning to a doctor
- The risk factors that raise the odds of stomach cancer, including age, diet, smoking, and family history
- Why a weakened immune system can make it harder to catch abnormal cells early
- How doctors weigh risk factors against reported symptoms to decide on tests like an endoscopy
- Why catching stomach cancer early widens the treatment options a specialist can offer

If a stomach symptom has lasted more than two weeks, especially alongside another sign on this list, it's worth raising with a doctor rather than waiting it out.

Blog Link: Stomach Cancer: Early Warning Signs You Shouldn't Ignore

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

A mouth ulcer usually heals within a week or two, but one that lingers can be an early warning sign of mouth cancer. This episode looks at when a persistent sore needs a doctor's attention and what else to watch for.

You'll learn:
- Why a mouth ulcer lasting more than three weeks needs a checkup, even without pain
- Other warning signs to watch for, including red or white patches, a new lump, and numbness
- The risk factors that raise the chance of oral cancer, including tobacco use, heavy alcohol use, and betel quid chewing
- Why HPV is a growing risk factor, especially for cancers near the throat
- What squamous cell carcinoma is and why it's the most common type of oral cancer
- How doctors diagnose oral cancer, from a routine dental check to a biopsy
- Why catching oral cancer early leads to more treatment options and a better outlook

If a mouth sore or other symptom has lasted more than a few weeks, it's worth getting checked rather than waiting it out. Early detection makes a real difference.

Blog Link: Tongue and Oral Cancer: What a Persistent Mouth Ulcer Could Mean

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

New geriatric oncology guidelines released in September 2026 are changing how doctors plan cancer care for people over 65. This episode breaks down what the guidance means for older patients and the families supporting them.

You'll learn:
- Why fitness, not age, now guides treatment decisions for older patients
- How doctors use short screening tools to measure a patient's strength, memory, and daily function
- What the two new NCCN guides cover, one for patients and one for doctors
- How doctors weigh side effects and quality of life alongside the benefits of treatment
- Why social workers and a team-based approach matter more than ever in cancer care for older adults
- Why adoption of fitness-based planning has lagged behind the evidence, and what is being done about it

These guidelines mark one of the most complete efforts yet to standardize care for older cancer patients. If you or a loved one is facing a diagnosis after 65, this episode offers a clear starting point for the conversation with your care team.

Blog Link: Cancer Treatment After 65: What Older Adults Should Know

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.

Welcome to Onco Life Centre Podcast.

This episode looks at why cholangiocarcinoma so often stays silent for years, its three main tumor types, and the risk factors and treatment options worth knowing about.

You'll learn:
- Why cholangiocarcinoma often causes no symptoms until it blocks bile flow
- The three main tumor types and why their location matters for treatment
- The most common signs, including jaundice, itching, pale stools, and dark urine
- Why liver fluke infection is one of the strongest known risk factors in parts of Southeast Asia
- How primary sclerosing cholangitis and chronic liver disease can also raise risk
- How doctors diagnose and stage the cancer before planning treatment
- Why surgical resection offers the best chance at a cure, and when it isn't possible

If you or a loved one is navigating a diagnosis, or fits any of these risk factors, it's worth bringing up with your doctor.

Blog Link: Cholangiocarcinoma (Bile Duct Cancer): Why It's Often Diagnosed Late

Send us Fan Mail

Thank you for listening to The Onco Life Podcast, your trusted source for expert cancer information and patient-centered education.

Author: Dr. CHRISTINA NG VAN TZE

📍 Visit us at oncolifecentre.com
📞 Call: +60 3 2242 3260
📧 Book a consultation or ask a question — we're here to support your journey.